Interview with Gustav Einarsson, owner of Texas Sports Academy

Gustav Einarsson: Texas Sports Academy (below called TSA) was started in August 2010. The concept is originally from Sweden. During the spring 2011 we have our first tuition

semester with practice groups of children, 4-9 years old, in Dallas. Our idea for parents / children is to try out different sports (5-10 different sports) during one or more semesters. The parents pay one fee for the semester to TSA for trying our the different sports, instead of paying different fees to different programmings of sports

SACCTX: How did you discover the need for a sports academy like this?

Gustav Einarsson, Texas Sports Academy

Einarsson: In Sweden we have about 25 000 children participating all over the country in almost all cities. So our idea is really working there. Parents and children in the USA should have the same need: Get their children to try different sports when they are 4-9 years old. That should be a need in different countries all over the world. USA is also a country where children have great needs of sports and of a healthier life style.

SACCTX: What made you choose to come to North Texas?

Einarsson: We needed somewhere to start-up. Dallas is a big city and the Metroplex is really big. However our idea is to expand all over the state of Texas, and then also new states in USA.

SACCTX: What were the biggest challenges or obstacles getting started here?

Einarsson: What we need right now after have getting started is to find a partner in Texas who is willing to work together with us in this project. So right now I think that is our biggest challenge. When starting up everything as our corporation together with an attorney we did not find any difficulties in particular.

SACCTX: On your website you have great selection from a variety of local areas in the Dallas/Fort Worh region. Any research behind the decision of these selected areas.

Einarsson: The areas were actually picked out by the independent consultant (a personal trainer) working together with us in Dallas. She knows the neighborhoods and sports facilities located there.

SACCTX: Do you have any plans for expanding to other metros in Texas, or even out of state?

Einarsson: Yes we have. We will try out more cities and do marketing there for the coming fall semester. Work with preparing that will start already during this spring. We are also searching a partner to do this. A businessman/woman working in Texas. That person/organization/company could maybe be a part of our company as a shareholder.

SACCTX: What is the greatest reward of running a sports academy?

Einarsson: It is to involve people who loves sports. See them getting excited about our great idea to have more children physically active in early ages and get them interested in different sports. It is also to see all children getting active in different sports in our semesters.

SACCTX: Thank you for your time Gustav, and the best of luck in the future!